Southington Boy Scout adds pavilion to linear trail

SOUTHINGTON — Those biking, walking or exercising on the linear trail have a new place to relax with the completion of a pavilion by a 14-year-old local Boy Scout.

Andrew Krar, a freshman at the Academy of Aerospace & Engineering magnet school in Bloomfield, has been planning the construction of a 10-by-10-foot pavilion on Mill Street near the linear trail since February.

Before he could start, Krar needed to raise funds for materials and get town approval. The pavilion, completed on Saturday, took three weeks to build. The undertaking was part of his Eagle Scout project.

“The fundraising was local donations from businesses and foundations,” said Krar, a member of Boy Scout Troop 45. “Also there were services and goods donated, such as concrete and lumbar.”

Krar decided to dedicate the pavilion to the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that assists wounded soldiers and veterans. A plaque will acknowledge the dedication.

“In the future I would like to go to West Point,” Krar said. “I wanted to give back to community and show support for the military.”

Before he started, Krar reached out to Planning and Zoning Commission vice chairman Paul Chaplinsky for advice.

“It’s amazing what somebody can do when they put their mind to it,” said Chaplinsky. “He did the entire program himself... (He’s) very, very mature.”

The pavilion sits off of Mill Street. Bricks line its concrete pathway. Two stone benches sit inside the pavilion.

“I have seen the project,” said Recreation Director David Lapreay. “It looks unbelievable.”

When it came to construction, Krar enlisted the help of volunteers, including Boy Scouts, a professional carpenter, family members, and other community members.